31 Facts About Emilio Nsue

Emilio Nsue Lopez was born on 30 September 1989 and is a professional footballer who plays for Primera Federacion club Intercity.

Emilio Nsue signed for Birmingham City in January 2017, and a year later moved into Cypriot football, spending 18 months with APOEL, a season with Apollon Limassol, and another season with APOEL.

Emilio Nsue was born in Spain to an Equatoguinean father and a Spanish mother and initially played for Spain at youth level, winning European championships at under-19 level in 2007 and under-21 level in 2011.

Emilio Nsue played in three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments in 2015,2021, and 2023, being the top scorer of the latter and receiving the Golden Boot as a result.

In 2024, FIFA judges ruled that Emilio Nsue was ineligible to play for the Equatorial Guinea national team for his entire career and handed him a playing ban.

Emilio Nsue was born in Palma, Majorca, in the Balearic Islands, and began his football career as a forward in the youth system of Mallorca.

Emilio Nsue added a few more minutes the following week, in a goalless home draw with Almeria.

Emilio Nsue appeared in all 38 league games and netted four times as his team narrowly avoided relegation.

On 1 August 2014, Emilio Nsue joined English Football League Championship club Middlesbrough, signing a three-year contract as a free agent.

Emilio Nsue was signed by Aitor Karanka, who knew him from the Spanish youth set-up.

Emilio Nsue played the first three undefeated matches in the top flight, before being dropped for Antonio Barragan.

Emilio Nsue was an unused substitute for the next match, but appeared in every match thereafter, and "single-handedly tred to drag Blues up the pitch" in the final fixture of the season, away to Bristol City, which his team needed to win to avoid relegation.

Emilio Nsue played regularly under Harry Redknapp's management in the early part of the season, but Steve Cotterill preferred the more defensive Maxime Colin at right back, and in the January 2018 transfer window, Nsue was allowed to leave.

Emilio Nsue signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Cypriot First Division champions APOEL in January 2018; the fee was undisclosed.

Emilio Nsue made 26 league appearances in his first 13 months with the club, before a dispute with manager Paolo Tramezzani led to his contract being terminated for disciplinary reasons.

Only two months after joining the club, Emilio Nsue left Tuzla City in April 2022.

Emilio Nsue was a member of the under-17 squad for the 2006 European Championships, but was injured in their opening match and took no further part in the finals.

Emilio Nsue started all five matches as Spain's under-19s won the 2007 European Championships, and was again part of the squad for the following year's tournament.

Emilio Nsue was part of the 2011 European title-winning squad, but appeared only once, as a substitute in the group stages against the Czech Republic.

Emilio Nsue's father hailed from Ebibeyin, He claimed to have turned down an invitation to represent the country at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations as he wanted to be a part of the Spanish team for the Olympics, but he did not make the final cut.

However, Emilio Nsue did not gain Equatoguinean nationality until after playing official matches for Spain and did not ask FIFA for permission to switch allegiances.

Emilio Nsue scored on his debut for Equatorial Guinea in an unofficial friendly with Benin on 21 March 2013; he captained the team and played the first 45 minutes.

Emilio Nsue continued to play for Equatorial Guinea despite FIFA declaring his ineligibility.

Emilio Nsue captained Equatorial Guinea's team as they hosted and finished fourth in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

Emilio Nsue captained Equatorial Guinea at the delayed 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Emilio Nsue became the first player to score a hat-trick in the Cup of Nations since Soufiane Alloudi in 2008, after scoring three goals against Guinea-Bissau on 18 January 2024.

Emilio Nsue finished the group stage as top scorer of the competition with five goals.

On 24 May 2024, Emilio Nsue was ruled as ineligible by FIFA.

Emilio Nsue had allegedly use a fraudulent Equatoguinean passport in which it is stated that he was born in Malabo, instead of Palma de Mallorca.

In June 2024, FIFA judges ruled that Emilio Nsue was never eligible to play for Equatorial Guinea throughout his entire career.

Emilio Nsue was ruled to have continued playing for Equatorial Guinea "while undoubtedly knowing that he was ineligible" and was given a further six-month ban from playing international matches.